This land is your land
by Norwegianne
Summary: Xander is chasing his American dream across America. On the way he meets several people.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't claim ownership to the characters from the television-shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lois & Clark: the Next Adventures, the West Wing or the Gilmore Girls.

Timeline: This comes after Syringa Vulgaris, Pulmonary and Artery. But can be read on its own. Just FYI.

A/N: I had no idea what the diner in Smallville was called. I'm not sure that the show even dealt much with things happening there (it's been a while since I've seen it, but I used to be an avid watcher.)

I am not sure how much sense this makes, but the concept is that Xander is road-tripping across America after Hell's Bells, and realizations he has come to afterwards. I'll probably have people scream that their characters are out of characters at times, but I did try as much as possible to keep them within the boundaries where we know and love them.

Title: This land is your land

* * *

**September 19th, 2002 **

Xander got the hell out of Los Angeles in the middle of the day. There was loads of sunlight, and the vampires in the building were all asleep in their respective rooms. The other members of the crew were either sleeping in, at work or at college.

Nobody that mattered was there to see him dump the large sports-bag into the backseat of the Volvo he'd bought just before they left Sunnydale. A couple of cars might have seen him, but as Hyperion still advertised themselves as a hotel on the signs... it wasn't an unusual event for someone to drive away from a hotel with luggage.

It would probably have made for a more catching tale had he snuck away from the Hyperion in the middle of the night, but trying to get out of The Central of Good when everyone was awake would have been a quest Xander wasn't ready for.

He didn't want to be talked out of it.

He wanted to leave.

Xander was done with fighting the good fight along the slayers and their merry band of buggered, or what they were calling themselves these days. Not that he didn't revel a bit in helping save humanity - he'd read the cartoons and dreamt of the life of a Superhero. But in between those dreams had also been a hope of a normal life, one without demons and things that went bump in the night.

One where he could prove himself larger than his father.

The thing with Anya had been pretty much shot to pieces from the day he hesitated and left her at the altar.

The Wedding that Wasn't, as Dawn had dubbed it. Shortly after that the Geeks had closed the Hellmouth in some kind of spell that had backfired on them.

The Scoobies had left Sunnydale.

There wasn't anything there for either of them, and Angel Investigations had provided them with solid incomes for the past five months. Who knew that many wacky things happened in Los Angeles?

Xander started the car. He could only hope and pray to everything holy that this one wouldn't break down in Oxnard. He didn't know if he could handle washing dishes, and whatnot there again.

Where he was going? He had no clue. Somewhere normal. Somewhere people didn't wear crosses because of the vampires, or carried stakes around with them as if it was an everyday item.

Xander was chasing the American dream across America, and the goal was 2.5 children, a dog, a house with a picket-fence, and someone to cuddle at night.


	2. Chapter 2

He didn't know how many days he'd driven, they'd all sort of blurred into each other: long hours at the road at day and small dinky road-side motels at night. The only thing that was changing was the weather, and the terrain around, sometimes nature, small towns or bigger cities. Oh, even the god-awful shows on the radio dwindled around the same subjects. Did people really listen to those in their own homes?

Were they really that interested in how a boy had cheated on his girlfriend with his male cousin?

Since he hadn't found any other shows worth listening to on the radio-waves during the days, he was taking a stand against whatever audience they were aimed at.

Still, he supposed it was better they occupied their time like that instead of discovering that vampires were real.

He didn't know how he would take it if Ônormal' disappeared.

Or if USA was thrown into chaos because there could be a vampire lurking around every corner. Xander knew there were vampires lurking around every corner, and that the monsters under your bed were real, maybe they weren't hiding under your bed, but they were real.

He just had to believe that there was something else out there, something wonderful.

This train of thought was getting him nowhere fast.

He thought he remembered crossing the state border between Colorado and Kansas a while back. That meant he was in Kansas.

His stomach was growling, like it used to do every now and then. He reached out for one of the Twinkies he had bought at a gas station in Colorado, only to find the bag empty. No twinky goodness for him at the moment.

Maybe it was time to stop in the next town, find a diner and get a meal where the main point wasn't to keep his eyes on the road?

------

He pulled the Volvo up to stop at a friendly-looking diner in a small town that was aptly enough named Smallville. He really hoped the naming practice wasn't the same here as it had been when they named Sunnydale.

If so, was he about to find himself in a town filled with giants?

The diner looked good enough from the inside, and by now his stomach had passed the growling stage and was staging explosions in his intestines. At this point he would eat the grass at the nearby park had the diner been closed.

But it wasn't.

It was very full. Very very very full.

Xander had hit Smallville during dinner-hours. And it seemed like the town had gone to Lucky's Diner en masse today. Leaving no place for the Xandman.

"Excuse me," the elderly lady sitting in the booth next to the entrance pulled his leg. "You look just like my son. Would you like to sit down?

Xander took one more look around the place before he shrugged and joined her.

"I'm just waiting for my husband," she told him. "But feel free to order. A growing boy like yourself should take care of his nourishments, why when my Clark was your age he was eating like crazy.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Xander Harris." He figured that a polite greeting would probably be a nice way of saying thanks.

"It's a pleasure, Xander. I'm Martha Kent, my husband, Jonathan will be along any minute now. He's just gone to pick up Clark and Lois, that is our daughter in law, and a friend of theirs at the airport.

"Maybe I should move it along then, I don't want to interfere on your family reunion.

"Nonsense. You look like you could eat half a horse. Just sit down and order something.

He did so, and Mrs. Kent smiled satisfied.

--------

A couple of hours later Xander was on the road again. Mrs. Kent had offered to put him in for the night, but he wanted to get further. Further towards what he still didn't know.

Except that he wanted someone like Mrs. Kent.

Of course he couldn't have her. She was married and her son was older than Xander. But he wanted someone like her.

Again, it was just him, the car and the road.


	3. Chapter 3

**2003**

When Xander drove into the nation's capital a year later he'd plunked himself down long enough in a small town after he'd passed Lexington to gain some capital. He'd enjoyed being the handyman a place where things stayed fixed – and didn't get broken by a demonic fight a day later.

But he was man enough to realize that he'd never get much work in Quebeck, Kentucky. He probably wouldn't be getting anything in Washington, D.C either. But at least he could tell Willow in his next e-mail that he'd been there. Tell her about the sights he was going to see, avoid replying to the latest mail asking him when he'd be coming home.

He could tell that Willow had settled into the Hyperion permanently, something he'd never do. He had his reasons and Will had hers. Where he'd be settling down he had no inkling, but it was not going to be in the city of Angel.

The e-mail had given news about Buffy, a pregnant Buffy, who wouldn't tell anyone who was the father of her unborn baby. While it would have made him angry that Buffy would refuse to share her secrets with him when he was younger, now he'd nearly applauded her for her choices.

She probably wouldn't have an easy life, but at least she had someone there to help her with the kid.

Xander had parked the car at the hotel he'd checked into – for once he wanted a real bed, even if it cost a bit more than the low-class motels he'd been checking into previously on this trip.

Besides the hotel was fairly central, and he wanted to stretch his leg.

That he did. Xander admired the Lincoln Memorial, gazed on the White House, looked at Capitol, everything he knew Willow would want to hear about.

When he was positive he'd gotten at least a couple of blisters he figured that Willow would probably forgive him if he went and had a beer instead of doing something worse to his feet.

And, the beer, also a part of Washington, DC.

Granted not the part that Willow might have studied in guidebooks, or on the web, but still a part. Right?

The one he stumbled upon straight after making the decision was dark, and not overly crowded. Had it been Sunnydale his vamp-dar would have gone off ages ago, but this place didn't even give of a vibe of any evil but politicians and lawyers. That might have been enough evil in itself, Xander thought, slightly amused as he signalled for a beer.


	4. Chapter 4

He would have been perfectly happy just nursing his beer, and going back to the hotel. It had become clear to him when he drove into the city that he wasn't going to find any of his dreams here. But fate had a way of screwing things up. He just _had_ to ask the guy sitting next to him an inane question of baseball.

Now the guy was sitting next to him in the Volvo heading straight out of town. Only he wasn't a nobody, like Xander. Toby Ziegler was the author of "The whole fucking world was against us," the book Mr and Mrs Rosenberg had gotten him for Christmas just before they all left Sunnydale.

The one book Xander actually had opened voluntarily. How could he not, with a title like that?

And they had begun to discuss stuff. The book, other books, politics, carpentry, women.

He discovered that Toby was a bit like Giles.

He didn't know how he had gone from that line of thought to offering Toby a ride along.

But here they were – the New Jersey Turnpike.

Toby had insisted on showing him Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. That had led to a train of thought that he should hook Toby up with Willow, had Willow been older. When he mentioned it to Toby he had asked about Willow's hair color.

Upon hearing that Willow had red hair, Toby told him of his ex-wife, his ex-assistant, and his desire to never ever be involved with another redhead.

After the stop in Philadelphia Toby had a talk at Princeton about writing in politics.

Xander, who had heard the whole thing while driving, had found a computer to e-mail Willow.

"This is hell," Toby exclaimed and began to search for the rubber balls that Xander had confiscated ages ago when Toby first had begun to bounce them on the window.

"No," Xander replied. "This is New Jersey.

"The difference would be?

"In hell it feels like you're never getting out?

"The difference would be?

"I'm not sure, but I think that you probably can't see New York from Hell.

"I can't see New York from here either.

"I generally take a look out of the windows, instead of down at the floor when I want to see something. And no, the stupid balls aren't on the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

They had passed New York and were on their way to Boston to visit a former colleague of Toby's when the car broke down.

It was the very same Volvo that Xander had started out from Los Angeles with.

Since the two of them were two mature adults, despite any rumors going around telling about the opposite, they spent a large amount of time kicking the tyres of the car before they began walking in the direction where Toby was sure there had to be something.

"I'm not going to throw the damn balls into the woods," Xander argued. "Why would I?

"Because if there's something I've learned during these days with you," Toby replied irately. "It is that you're more childish than Josh and Sam combined on a rainy day.

"Now, you see," Xander threw one of the balls back and forth between his hands. "That's where you lose me all the time. I don't know Josh and Sam, so how can I know if you speak the truth or not?

"I suppose trusting me would be too far out of the equation," Toby said, dryly.

"I'm Sunnydale born and bred. We don't trust easily.

"Shut up and walk.

"All right, all right.

They walked in silence for a while.

"Uhm. I don't mean to break the no talking just walking rule, but where the hell are we walking?

"You drove across America on your own? Can you read a map?

"No, I thought that was only what geeks did." Xander amended his joke when Toby cast him a dark glance. He'd spent enough time with him to know that Toby could only be pushed so far. "I mean, I was going where the road led me, and as long as it didn't lead back to California, I was fine.

"Well, Mr. I'm not a geek so I won't read a map, if we get through the woods here without killing each other, then a place called Stars Hollow is supposed to be on the other side.

"America really needs to control that naming gene before it goes too far." Xander mumbled.

"You just stand around talking about controlling America while I try and get some food. I'm done with politics.

"Yeah," Xander ran after Toby. "Do you really think they have real food there?

"I know of no universe where Twinkies are counted as real food.

"Sucks to be you.

"Yeah." Toby dragged a hand over his head. "I hate nature.

"Again, I repeat... whoa.

"Buildings.

"That means food.

"Probably. Do you think they have pie?


	6. Chapter 6

The Diner was friendly looking, and they found a table. Xander sat so that he overlooked the crowd, and Toby sat so that he didn't have to look at anybody.

"Hi, what can I get you?" The man who came to take their order wore a cap, a flannel shirt, and a sour expression that seemed to match Toby's.

"Hi, I'll have a coke, a hamburger and some fries. He'll have coffee, lots of it, and pie.

"Not another oneÉ What kind of pie?

"What do you mean another one?" Toby asked affronted.

"Luke, I neeeeeed coffee." A tall brunette strode into the diner at a neck-breaking speed.

The man Xander assumed was Luke nodded in her direction. "That's what I meant. Lorelai Gilmore. Probably has enough caffeine in her blood to go days without noticing. It's not healthy.

"I'll have the cherry pie," Toby decided. "And black coffee.

Lorelai Gilmore found a chair and sat at their table.

"Do you mind," Luke said. "It's not like they asked you to sit down. Didn't Emily teach you anything?

"Yeah, she did. Hello, my name is Lorelai Gilmore the second. I'd like to officially welcome you two to Star's Hollow, before anybody else does. Whatever you do, beware a large man, and a large woman.

"Is she insane?" Toby asked Luke.

"Quite possibly. I'll get your food.

"How can you be Lorelai Gilmore the second?" Xander asked Lorelai. "I thought it was only men who had that Junior/Senior thing going.

"Well, I was named after my grandmother, Lorelai the first.

"Two Lorelais, isn't it an unusual name?

"Actually, they're three." Luke put down a coke and a cup of coffee.

"God help everybody." Toby grabbed the cup before Lorelai could make a beeline for it. She looked greedy, and he needed his coffee.

"Where is my cup, Luke?

"You've had enough.

"You always say that.

"How many cups have you had?

"Only one.

"Lorelai?

"Okay, two. But the one I made doesn't count.

"Why not?" Toby asked before he could help himself.

"Please," Luke held up a hand. "Don't get her started. I'll get the coffee.

"Thank you, kind proprietor.

"You remind me of my friend Willow," Xander said softly. "Not the way you look or anything, because Willow has reddish hair and is short. But the coffee thing.

"How can anyone not like coffee, I ask of you?

"We have to keep Willow on a tight leash, she gets hyper when she has too much." Luke who had returned to the table, with a large mug of coffee, rolled his eyes and pointed at Lorelai. "Oh, you too?

"I do not get hyper," Lorelai exclaimed, and grabbed the coffee from Luke. "I merely happen to show my inner child a lot.

"So what are you two doing together on the road? Family?" Luke asked.

"When I look at them I notice a resemblance, is he your father?

"No," Toby said. "We met in a bar, and drunkenly agreed that he would drive me to a series of lectures I'm holding at various universities.

"About that," Xander butted in before Toby could get any further. "My car broke down, where do I go to get it fixed?


	7. Chapter 7

"I have one question," Toby said from the back-seat. "Why does _she _get to sit in front?

"Because I called it?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeees, and because someone, we shall not mention any names, just glare at him, had to have an extra slice of pie that led to him being late.

"Can I at least have my balls?

"Nope. We're going to get to Boston, peacefully at that.

"Who're we visiting in Boston?" Lorelai asked.

"A friend of Toby's.

"Toby has friends?

"Looks like it. How long does it take to drive to Boston?

"A couple of hours.

"Can I ask another question?" Toby asked.

"Sure.

"Why is _she_ here in the first place? I mean, you're chasing some wild American dream that probably died in the 50s, I'm going up to see Leo about something, but her daughter goes to Yale. That's the other way.

"I just like road-trips," Lorelai said cheerfully. "Besides, I need some coffee time away from Luke, he tries to withhold the goods. I was planning on visiting a Starbucks, but then you came, and hey, they do have Starbucks in Boston too, right?

"Oh, okay. The need for coffee I get.

"Good, then maybe the sniping at each other like preschoolers can cease so that I can drive in peace and quiet to Boston?

"You sound like Leo.

"No, he sounds like a mom from one of those television shows. The next thing he's going to say is that he'll throw us out, if we don't shut up.

"Good guess, unfortunately he needs to go to Boston, ASAP, according to an old cranky man who yelled into his cell phone when I answered," Xander said. "So no dumping you along the way.

"Toby, good to see you." Leo McGarry had chosen, or rather his health and daughter had chosen for him, to retire from politics after the President's death. Mallory had been offered a teaching position in Boston, and Leo had followed her there.

"Yeah, good to see you too." Toby hugged Leo, and Xander and Lorelai were flabbergasted. Toby had other emotions than rage? And he hugged people?

"This is Alexander Harris, who volunteered to drive me around, since he had no other plans.

"Welcome to Boston, Mr Harris," Leo said. "I'm sure you're a far braver man than anyone I know, to volunteer for a suicide mission.

"I do that from time to time," Xander said. "And, it's Xander.

"That woman is Lorelai Gilmore.

"Hi," Lorelai grabbed Leo's hand. "Do you have coffee somewhere?

"Lorelai is addicted," Toby said dryly. "Should you happen to not have caffeine in the house, she'd probably require directions to the nearest Starbucks.

"I'll have to ask Mal about the coffee. It was nice to meet you, both of you.

"I noticed that he didn't say it was nice to meet you again," Xander said as soon as Leo had left the room.

"People seldom feel that way about me.

"Who is Mal?" Lorelai asked.

THE END OF THIS STORY


End file.
